| Best Practice Business |
Private Operators And Child Care Funding
By Martin Corkery - Director
Children First Learning Centres QLD
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 Funding for private operators tends to come in the form of lending from financial institutions. Right now the biggest funding issue we face is the lack of credit available from the banks. Several of the largest banks had their fingers burnt as their bad lending decisions lost them hundreds of millions of dollars.
Now, when approached by people looking to expand or enter the market, they hear the words 'child care' and suddenly the conversation goes icy.
The collapse of ABC, CFK and hundreds of small private operators, along with the hike in subsidies required by government supported centres is evidence to anyone that this is not a 'cash cow' industry.
Sure, child care isn't rocket science, but it is often a small business with a multimillion dollar turnover, beset with regulatory burdens (14 regulatory bodies in NSW at last count). This is a highly regulated industry - and whilst the government bodies are happy to come out and tell parents that they're making it 'tougher' for shoddy operators, what they don't say is that each and every centre will incur additional costs.
» Read the full article…
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National Child Care Awards
Rewarding industry excellence |
 In an annual celebration of outstanding child care workers across the country the national winners of the Australian Family Fisher-Price Child Care Awards were announced at a gala awards ceremony in Sydney last month.
These awards are the only national cross-sector child care awards in Australia.
Four national winners were selected from a pool of more than 1,300 nominees by the expert judging panel comprised of Margaret Young the President of Early Childhood Australia, Monique Webber the General Manager of Family Day Care Australia, Amanda Morphett the President of Childcare Associations Australia, Dr John Irvine a Clinical and Family Psychologist, and Paul Clancy the Managing Director of Australian Family.
The judges agreed that the winners exemplify that special carer who goes beyond the call of duty to combine care and education in a loving and respectful relationship with children in their care and with children's families.
» and the Winners are…
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| CCMS In The Spotlight |
 To allay some of the confusion surrounding the new child care management system (CCMS) CareforKids.com.au has compiled the most important points from Government information in this month's newsletter.
Overview
The CCMS is the new way that the payment of Child Care Benefit (CCB) fee reductions will be managed. It will also improve the information on child care supply and usage that is available to government, services and families and reduce administrative effort.
Services will provide information directly to the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) via the internet to allow calculation and payment of CCB fee reductions.
Parents will also be able to access an online statement from the online services section of the Family Assistance Office (FAO) website to obtain details of their child care and payments.
» Read the article…
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| Child Care People |
Interview
Xiawei Cheng - Home Child Care SA
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 Child care professionals share a commitment to improving society by creating dynamic and nurturing care environments for Australia's youngest learners.
Read this month's Child Care Person in the spotlight Xiawei Cheng from Home Child Care a new Family Day Care agency in South Australia
» Read the interview…
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| Children & Child Care |
Go Green Day
Kindy philanthropists raise thousands for bushfire victims |
 In a show of support for child care centres destroyed by the recent Victorian bushfires C&K centres in Queensland recently held a Go Green Day to raise funds for their sister organisation Kindergarten Parents Victoria (KPV).
Four KPV centres were destroyed in the recent fires: Marysville Kindergarten, Kinglake Kindergarten, Flowerdale Kindergarten and Kinglake Early Learning Centre.
Children and families at C&K raised more than $12,000 by participating in a range of activities inspired by the colour green and this money will go directly towards rebuilding and resourcing the centres that were lost.
Children and staff were encouraged to make a small donation and wear green clothing to support this cause. Other green inspired activities included wearing green clothes, planting trees, making green jelly, green face painting, making green play dough sculptures and eating green food.
C&K chief executive officer Barrie Elvish said the colour green was significant because it symbolised re-growth and new life for those affected by the bushfires.
Mr Elvish said he was overwhelmed by the response and the support shown to those in need.
"This worthwhile day will not only make a significant difference to the Victorian communities affected by the bushfires, but it also gave the children an opportunity to show they, as individuals, can make a difference," Mr Elvish said.
KPV chief executive officer Meredith Carter said C&K's efforts were a fabulous response to the crisis in Victoria.
"It is heartening to know that interstate early childhood communities are coming together to support the centres in need," Ms Carter said.
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Has your child care service initiated and/or participated in an original fundraising exercise? Drop us a line at editor@careforkids.com.au and tell us all about it. You'll automatically go into the draw to win a Play School Collection (3 DVD set) for your child care service.
Courtesy of ABC Kids and Roadshow Entertainment. |
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Got some Time Out…
Catch up on back issues of Child Care News
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 May 2009
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